Cold header



June 2, 1970 F. w. BRAUN ETAL 3,5 ,992

COLD HEADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 29, 1967 INVENTORS fezoze/m W.5640 s gma! 04?: dz.

ATTORNEYS June 2, 1970 F. w. .BRAUN ETAL 3,514,992

COLD HEADER Filed Nov. 29. 196'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

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BY I ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,514,992 COLD HEADER Frederick W.Braun, Bloomfield Hills, and Samuel Oree, Jr., Detroit, Mich., assignorsto Braun Engineering Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of MichiganFiled Nov. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 686,663 Int. Cl. B21j 13/04 US. Cl. 72-4559 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is embodied in a coldheader assembly of the type having a die block assembly and aram-mounted punch assembly mounted on a composite frame. The compositeframe is composed of laterally spaced, separate, elongated side railsconnected together by tie bars and held in predetermined spaced relationby spacers sleeved on the tie bars. A bolster plate extends between andis carried by the side rails and supports the die block assembly, and acrankshaft is journaled on the side rails to reciprocate the ramassembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Conventional frames for cold headers have beenextremely difficult to manufacture by the use of standard machine toolsbecause of their size and construction. The primary object of thisinvention is to provide an improved frame of a novel construction for acold header which can be readily manufactured by the use of standardmachine tools and yet which is rigid and sturdy and well suited to carryout its intended function.

Another object of the invention is to provide a composite frame for acold header composed of separate elongated laterally spaced side railssecured together to. form a solid unit.

Another object is to provide a composite frame for a cold header havingmeans for securing the side rails to gether including tie bars extendingacross the space between the side rails and having spacers on the tiebars whose opposite ends abut the adjacent surfaces of the side rails.

Another object is to provide a composite frame having a separate bolsterplate.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a cold header embodying our invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of cold header comprisesa composite frame 12, a die block assembly 14, a punch assembly 16 and aram assembly 18.

The composite frame 12 includes a pair of laterally spaced,substantially parallel, separate, elongated side rails 20 and 22 whichin the present instance are supported in horizontal position on anysuitable base or support structure. The side rails have laterallyinwardly extending front end portions 23 which terminate in spacedrelation to one another. The side rails are connected together bytransverse horizontal tie bars 24, 26 and 28.

The tie bar 24 adjacent the front end of the side rails is disposed atright angles to the side rails and to vertical surfaces 38 and 40 andextends through passages in the front end port-ions 23. The oppositeends of tie bars 24 extend into recesses 30 and 32 in the outer orremote side surfaces of the side rails. Nuts 3-4 in the recesses 30 and32 are threaded on the opposite ends of the tie bar 24. A tubular spacer36 is sleeved on the tie bar 24 and its ends abut the opposed surfaces38 and 40 of the side rails. The tie bar assembly including the tie bars24, nuts 34 and spacer 36 rigidly connect the side rails 20 and 22together in predetermined spaced relationship at the 'front end thereof.

The tie bars 26 and 28 are located adjacent the rear end of thecomposite frame and extend through passages in the side rails at rightangles to the side rails and to the vertical inner surfaces 46 and 48thereof and to the stepped back vertical surfaces 47 and 49. Theopposite ends of the tiebars 26 and 28 extend beyond the outer or remoteside surfaces of the side rails, and nuts 42 are threaded on the ends ofthe tie bars 26 and 28. Tubular spacers 44 and 45 are respectivelysleeved on the tie bars 26 and 28 in the space between the side rails.The opposite ends of the spacer 44 abut the opposed surfaces 47 and 49of the side rails and the opposite ends of the spacer 45 abut theopposed surfaces 46 and 48. The tie bar assemblies including tie bars 26and 28, nuts 42 and spacers 44 and 45 rigidly connect the rear endportions of the side rails together in predetermined spacedrelationship.

A rectangular bolster plate 54 extends between the side rails 20 and 22adjacent the front end of the composite frame 12. As seen in FIG. 1, thefront end portions 23 have opposed, generally U-shaped verticallyextending grooves 56 and 58 located just rearwardly of surfaces 38 and40. The opposite vertical edge portions of the bolster plate 54 arereceived in the grooves 56 and 5-8. The grooves are open at the upperends so that the bolster plate may be installed by being loweredvertically into position. The bolster plate provides a support for thedie block assembly 14.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bolster plate 54 is located in fixedposition by bolster keys 60 and 62 which fit into registering grooves orslots 64 and 66 in the opposed surfaces of the side rails and bolsterplate. The bolster plate 54 is secured in this position by studs 70extending through the side rails and threaded into the bolster plate.The studs have nuts 72 on their outer ends, and recesses 73 in the siderails accommodate the outer ends of the studs and the nuts.

Just to the rear of the slots 56 and 58, the front end portions 23 ofthe side rails have vertical but tapering opposed surfaces 78 and 80which provide a dovetail slot for the die block assembly 14. The slot isopen at the upper end and the die block assembly has side surfacestapering to correspond with the surfaces 78 and 80 of the slot so thatthe die block assembly may be installed by being lowered vertically intoposition. The upper rear edge of the bolster plate'ha's a recessproviding a horizontal ledge 84 extending across the width thereof, andthe front upper edge of the die block assembly has an extension or lip86 which is received in and rests upon the ledge 84 to vertically locatethe die block assembly and prevent it from descending below the positionshown in FIG. 2. A wedge or any other suitable means may be provided forlocking the die block assembly in position.

The ram assembly 18 is reciprocablelengthwise of the composite frame 12and has longitudinally extending horizontal grooves 90 in its oppositesides. Grooves 90 receive elongated horizontal gibs 92 on the side railsto guide the reciprocation of the ram. The front end surface of the ramassembly 18 has a vertical dovetailed slot 94 in which is received adovetailed mounting portion 96 of the punch assembly 16. The slot 94 isopen at the upper end so that the punch assembly 16 may be installed bylowering it into position. Any suitable means may be 3 provided forlocating and locking the punch assembly in the position shown in FIG. 2,such for example as an adjusting screw with or without a wedge.

The punch assembly 16 has a punch 98 opposed to the die block assembly14 for upsetting a metal slug upon forward movement of the ram assembly18 toward the die block assembly 14.

A crankshaft 99 extends transversely between the side rails 20 and 22and is journaled in bearings 4100 in the rear end portions of the siderails. The eccentric central portion '102 of the crankshaft between theside rails has a crank bushing 104 on which a pitman 106 'is journaled,and the pitman has a pitman roll 108 journaled on a pivot pin 1'10caried by the ram assembly 18 so that rotation of the crankshaft 99operates through the pitman 106 to reciprocate the ram assembly 18. Theram assembly is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 at the forward end of its stroke.Raised pads 111 on the side rails 20' and 22 center the pitman 106.

Power to drive the crankshaft 99 is received from a source, not shown,through belting 112 trained over the flywheel 114 connected to one endof the crankshaft 99.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In a cold header assembly of the type having a die block assembly anda ram-mounted punch assembly cooperable with one another to upset aworkpiece, a composite frame including laterally spaced, substantiallyparallel, separate, elongated side rails adapted to extend alongopposite sides of and support said assemblies, and means for securingsaid side rails in the aforesaid laterally spaced relation including tiebars extending across the space betwen said side rails, said tie barshaving abutment means between said side rails engaging the adjacentopposed surfaces of said side rails, said abutment means comprisingspacers sleeved on said tie bars, the ends of said spacers abutting theadjacent opposed surfaces of said side rails.

2. In a cold header assembly of the type having a die block assembly anda ram-mounted punch assembly cooperable with one another to upset aworkpiece, a composite frame including laterally spaced, substantiallyparallel, separate, horizontal elongated side rails adapted to extendalong opposite sides of and support said assemblies, said side railshaving laterally inwardly extending portions at the front ends thereofterminating in spaced relation to one another, vertical opposed groovesin the confronting surfaces of said laterally inwardly extendingportions which are open at the top, a bolster plate extending across thespace between said side rails having opposite edge portions insertableinto said grooves from the top and secured therein to provide a supportfor said die block assembly, and means for securing said rails in theaforesaid laterally spaced relation including a tie bar extendingbetween said rails across the space separating said laterally inwardlyextending portions forwardly of said bolster plate, a spacer sleeved onsaid tie bar between said side rails and having its ends abutting theconfronting surfaces of said laterally inwardly extending portions, atleast one tie bar adjacent the rear ends of said side rails extendingacross the space between said side rails, and a spacer sleeved on thesecond-mentioned tie bar between said side rails having its endsabutting the adjacent opposed surfaces of said side rails.

3. The structure defined in claim 2, wherein said side rails haverecesses in their laterally outer surfaces into which the opposite endsof one of said tie bars extend, and nuts in said recesses threaded onthe ends of the said one of said tie bars.

4. The structure defined in claim 2, wherein said laterally inwardlyextending portions have vertical opposed, dovetailed surfaces rearwardlyof said grooves which are open at the top for the downward insertion ofthe die block assembly.

5. The structure defined in claim 2, wherein said side rails havehorizontal guide means for guiding the movement of a ram for carryingthe punch assembly.

6. The structure defined in claim 5, wherein said side rails havejournals near their rear ends for a crankshaft to reciprocate the ram.

7. The structure defined in claim 2, wherein said bolster plate has aledge for vertically locating the die block assembly.

8. In a cold header assembly of the type having a die block assembly anda ram-mounted punch assembly cooperable with one another to upset aworkpiece, a composite frame including laterally spaced, substantiallyparallel, separate, elongated side rails adapted to extend alongopposite sides of and support said assemblies, and means for securingsaid side rails in the aforesaid laterally spaced relation including atie bar extending across the space between said side rails, means onsaid tie bar opposing movement of said side rails away from one another,and means on said tie bar opposing movement of said side rails towardone another, said last-mentioned means comprising a spacer sleeved onsaid tie bar in the space between said side rails, said side rails haveopposed grooves in adjacent surfaces which are open at one end, and abolster plate extending across the space between said side rails havingopposite edge portions insertable into said grooves through the openends thereof and secured therein to support the die block assembly.

9. In a cold header assembly of the type having a die block assembly anda ram-mounted punch assembly cooperable with one another to upset aworkpiece, a composite frame including laterally spaced, substantiallyparallel, separate, elongated side rails adapted to extend alongopposite sides of and support said assemblies, and means for securingsaid side rails in the aforesaid laterally spaced relation including tiebars extending across the space between said side rails, said tie barshaving abutment means between said side rails engaging the adjacentopposed surfaces of said side rails, said abutment means comprisingspacers sleeved on said tie bars.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 379,510 3/1888 Eynon 724552,261,312 11/ 1941 Terhune 72455 2,270,819 1/1942 Gay 72455 2,654,31010/1953 Muller 1002l4 2,875,652 3/1959 Ehlert 100-214 3,243,988 4/1966Groos 72455 CHARLES w. LANHAM, Primary Examiner G. P. CROSBY, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R.

